26

Daddy, I want to join the army!

When, Slyfer exits the tent along with the rest of the people. He is surprised, surprised by the complete change in scenery around him. “How long have we been unconscious?” He asks no-one in particular. It’s Aldowin that replies. “You have been asleep for almost three weeks.” Slyfer, stops walking, which causes the guard behind him, to walk into him. “Almost three weeks! How can that be, I don’t feel hungry, or like any time has passed at all.”

Aldowin, chuckles. “That’s because, you are too clueless to know when you are hungry!” Slyfer gives his master the look. A little ways in front of them Fira is walking next to her father. The king is gesturing and scowling while he berates her for her actions. Slyfer is confused. “What did we do wrong, we like each other, and she gives me that funny feeling, just like Trisha, why can’t we kiss?” As Slyfer thinks this, he looks around, taking in the change in surroundings.

Where before they were surrounded by nothing but plains of long grass, they are now on what seems, almost like a desert, but is not. Sand is everywhere fine and white with clumps of fine grass growing in between. The air around him feels more humid, like its wet. It makes him feel sticky and he decides, he doesn’t like it. He can here bugs buzzing and leaves rustle in the distance, as the wind brings a peculiar smell to his nostrils. It intrigues him, and he wishes that he could fly for a while to go and explore.

Slyfer sticks out his tongue, to taste the air subconsciously, while he bends to pick up some of the fine white sand from the ground. Aldowin sees this and walks over “accidently” bumping into Slyfer. He nearly face plants and jumps up ready to smack whoever did it, so hard that person’s snot will start orbiting his head.

Aldowin laughs at his reaction. “You seem confused with your surroundings?” Slyfer gives up on, any notion of giving out smacks as he sighs for having such a person as a “respected master”. “Actually, Aldowin has changed, he looks more care free, less troubled.” Unbeknownst to Slyfer, he is the reason. “I am rather confused. The air tastes funny and its sticky, almost wet.” Aldowin nods. “What it is, is the taste of the sea! We are very near as for the strange air, it’s the moisture in it.”

Slyfer starts too feel excitement. “The sea!” He goes and searches through Malgrobin’s memories. Slyfer sees something that greatly interests him, and a huge smile breaks out on his face. “So dragons also played.” Slyfer walks in a daze as he immerses himself in the memories. Aldowin’s voice pulls him back to reality.

“Slyfer, we are here, are you sure you want to do this?” Slyfer only nods while he swallows hard. He looks at the pure white tent in front of him. With one last, deep breath he enters. The smell of medicine, along with blood welcomes him. Fira upon entering runs over to her brother. The way he looks, sends daggers of guilt hurtling into Slyfer’s heart. Almost every part of his body is wrapped tightly with bandages and his limbs are hanging in the air suspended by ropes making him look like; some kind of grotesque puppet with strings.

Slyfer walks forward slowly; even moving toward the Prince is taking all of his willpower. Fira is sitting next to Pathfinder and crying. Slyfer can’t determine if, it’s because she is happy he is alive, or because of the state he is in. The tent goes deathly silent and some healers bring their heads together, whispering while looking at Slyfer.

He feels uncomfortable with all the attention and he can hear words of ridicule and amazement all mixed together. He feels like shouting: “shut up”, but his mouth is dry and he doesn’t want any more attention. He finally stops next to the Prince while all the eyes are on him. The King stands directly behind him ready to act if the boy tries something. Slyfer feels happy and disgusted by the site of Pathfinder. Happy because he is so broken, and disgusted because he is the cause. His feelings are torn in two; one part, driven by the thing, the other by himself. “Both are me, how does this work?”

A voice akin, to that of a frog’s, croaks at Slyfer. “So you have come.” Slyfer nods but after realizing Pathfinder can’t see him since the Prince can’t turn his head. He replies, his own voice a little hoarse. “Yes, I figured I owe you that much at-least.” Pathfinder swallows. “You don’t owe me anything, I deserved it. I don’t know what happened to me. It was like I was possessed by something and it made me do things, things I feel terrible about.” Slyfer is silent for a minute. “I have more in common with the Idiot then I thought, but how does this effect him. The…thing is a part of me, a part of my personality. If my guess is right it, no I ripped that part out of him. Does it change, who and what he is?”

Slyfer pushes his musings aside. “I intend to help heal you.” Pathfinder asks for a sip of water and after he has it he continues. “There is no need. Nirn is taking care of me and-“ Slyfer frowns and what he says, sounds colder then what he intended. “There will be no discussions, I will help you.” His tone of voice and the determination in his eyes, does not allow for any rebuttal or argument.

Pathfinder can only sigh and accept his fate. “I can’t hear them anymore, Slyfer. I feel empty and I cant hear them anymore, what did you do?” Slyfer is quiet for a while, he himself does not completely know. His mind returns to the voices. If it weren’t for them he would not be here, If it weren't for them he would not have mixed with that thing, or would he have? Maybe the dragons only forced what was eventually inevitable to happen, maybe they just took the opportunity to make him swear a promise?

“Bastards.” Slyfer feels angry again, angry at his situation, his promise and the so-called destiny. Bending down he talks into Pathfinders ear. “I freed you.” The answer catches Pathfinder by surprise and it opens a whole new avenue of thought for him. In the past he felt duty bound to listen to them, to follow them. He felt like he was never his own person and could never be. Inside Fira the wolves only look on. They had heard the boy and what he told the Prince. Some are angry at him, others agree and yet others feel nothing.

Despite how they may feel about what, Slyfer just said. The boy had worked to free the wolves and even more, he tore out the evil that was among them like a sickness. Wolves that were corrupted became sane again, adding to the ranks and increasing Fira’s power in the process. She is now like a flower, unblemished accept for the fact, that she is now connected to the strange creature that is Slyfer, they can’t really complain.

After a few more words from the others, they get ushered, or more like chased out by Nirn while she shouts, the Prince needs to rest. Slyfer steps outside, welcoming the fresh air as he once again smells the sea. Slyfer starts walking toward the outside of camp but is quickly stopped by Aldowin. “Oh, no you don’t! Old Sun here needs to explain some things to you.” Aldowin gestures at Old Sun who had also followed. Slyfer stops, looks at them and then the sky and starts to seriously contemplate just changing and flying away…..

“Slyfer! Snap out of it.” Slyfer’s shoulders start to hang and he drags his feet behind the two old farts, that just had to go and spoil his fun. Slyfer is also dejected, because he wanted to give, Fira a goodbye kiss. “Kissing is good!” The King however stuck around her like a fly around a piece of dung. Slyfer could almost see the wings. So, when Slyfer went towards her, the King nearly jumped out of his skin and bzzzzzzzt, ushered her away.

When they finally reach a large tent that, he had never paid attention to before. They are met by a familiar green haired, “girl”. “Stepbrother so you came, I am happy that you are awake!” When Slyfer sees Jade, he can’t help but smile, and as he hears what she says, he finally realizes something. “I have a family.” His eyes sparkle, and his smile broadens, flights of fancy fills his mind and he can already see them doing family things and playin- Slap!

Slyfer is rudely interrupted, with a huge slap delivered by a small hand, which hit with force flying at him, the hand was pulled back so far, Slyfer believes it must have time traveled to yesterday and then traveled to the future as it swung, and met his face back in the present.

Slyfer’s eyes go red for a moment, before he realizes it was Jade that slapped him.The short girl had actually jumped, to deliver the slap and is now standing in front of him, hands on her hips, which looks completely ridiculous to everyone else around them as he towers over her. “What was that for?!” She starts marching up and down. “What was that for, what was it for? It was for your barbaric behaviour. First you disappear with Trisha in and only appear in the middle of the night. Now I hear you have been frolicking with the princess as soon as Trisha leaves!”

Aldowin closes his eyes, in frustration while swearing at Jade under his breath, he wanted to break it to Slyfer nice and easy. Now…. Slyfer picks Jade up by the hand his face serious. She hangs in front of him like a doll, legs kicking in the air. His eyes go red and somewhere in the camp Fira looks at her hair and clicks her tongue. “I wonder how many mood swings he has a day, I’d have to plan at least three sets of clothes a day, but how would I change?”

Slyfer’s red eyes bore into Jade and her legs stop kicking. “You didn’t know?” Aldowin touches his shoulder, but he wants none of it. “Did not know, what, talk; where is she?!” Jade suddenly feels, her idea of “teaching” her new little brother not to break girls’ hearts, was a very stupid idea. Slyfer feels angry but he doesn’t hold too tightly, the last thing he wants is to hurt her. Old Sun doesn’t know and his heart starts to palpitate as he thinks of what happened.

Aldowin shouts. “She left on her own! She chose to leave on her own!” Slyfer feels shock, hurt, betrayed, so many things at once. Aldowin quickly continues as he sees the different emotions flashing on his student’s face. “Elyna, needed to return, since the high elf army is nearby, Trisha was left with a choice either stay here, or return with Elyna. She was torn and did not want to leave you, but she made a promise to serve.” Aldowin puts his hand on his student’s head. “I know how you must feel, but remember just like you have your goals, she also has hers, if you cannot except that, you are not ready to be in any kind of relationship.

Old Sun snorts. “What boy, understands these things. He will soon get over it, he has to.” Slyfer outs Jade down, gently. “I apologize if I hurt you Jade.” She only nods, feeling a little guilty as she looks at his dispirited face. Slyfer walks in, no longer caring about what’s happening around him. In his mind, there is a fight going on. One part feels betrayed and the other part feels admiration towards her. “She stuck to her values and what she believes in, but was there really no other way?”

As Slyfer enters what these thoughts fly out of his mind. In front of him, is a huge and very, very old wolf. It’s one eye is glassy and Slyfer assumes he cant see through it. The other eye however is filled with intelligence as it looks at Slyfer. “So, this is the boy?” Only when the old wolf asks the question, does Slyfer notice the other wolves. “All of them are grey wolves! One, two, three…. Twenty including the big one.” He looks around, he had not spotted Grey Main. A wolf a bit larger than the rest with an aura around it, fit for a king steps forward and Slyfer gives it a closer look. It looks like the others but it has a tinge of gold to its fur. There is actually a ring of gold that runs arount the wolf’s neck.

“Grey Main, is that you?” The wolf chuckles at Slyfer’s surprised face and a familiar voice enter’s Slyfer’s mind. “Yes, it’s me although my name has changed to Grey King now.” Slyfer walks around the wolf inspecting him. “Did you take any strange drugs or something, you seem bigger?” The old wolf chuckles this time as it replies to the question. “No drugs, young pup. We simply completed the right of wolf king which was denied to us for so, so long.” Slyfer smiles. “So you got your freedom?”

Grey King shakes his regal head. “No, we are now under the supervision of the Sun clan however. Old Sun has given us freedom to return to the old ways of our forefathers, in return we have to serve until the war against Chronos is over.” SLyfer looks at Old Sun with a bit more respect and he nods. Getting; THE NOD from Slyfer, was not his goal but it still makes the old man feel good for some reason.

Slyfer does not only get respect for the Old man because he effectively found a way to give the wolves a semblance of freedom, but also their undying gratitude. Of course Slyfer, does not look down on the Old Man’s shrewdness. Returning the old ways is a huge boon to the wolves and gives them a king. But that king now serves under the Sun clan effectively allying all the wolves with them!

Slyfer starts patting and rubbing, Grey King and it surprises a lot of the grey wolves. Who pets the King of the wolves! Slyfer is oblivious to the reactions of those around him is completely immersed in his rubbing. “Not as soft as Fira, but still fluffy, sooo fluffy!” Old Sun struggles to get his voice since, he was surprised as well, and could already imagine Grey King biting his arm off, but the wolf only stood and allowed it, he was even enjoying it.

Aldowin shakes his head, and face-palms. “Can’t take my student, anywhere.” Old Sun clears his throat, and then again, Slyfer finally stops. “The reason we called you here, is to explain your new duties, as my…son.” Slyfer lifts an eyebrow in question. “First of, since you are on such close terms with the wolf King….” As he says the words he looks at Slyfer’s hand moving toward the wolf to start rubbing it again as if it has a mind of its own. “….you will act as our liaison, the other elders and I came together to discuss rules that every clan will need to follow, so that they are no longer discriminated against. It will be your job to enforce these rules.”

What Old Sun does not say, is that he had threatened and bribed the lot of them to accomplish this. “You will be rewarded the rank of, Senior pack leader and be given the right to choose your own group of warriors. Keep in mind your duties so that their opinions and feelings won’t get in the way” Slyfer suddenly feels a bit overwhelmed by all this, where is he supposed to get all the warriors and, he hardly knows anyone.

Jade seeing his face pats him on the back. “Don’t worry, you are rather famous and a lot of warriors will want to join on their own. Slyfer looks at her, confused. “Famous?” She nods and explains. “Your fight with the prince spread like wild fire. Everyone knows how strong he is, so it won you a lot of respect, not to mention, you saved the King and the Princess.” Slyfer can only accept what was said since he hasn’t been interacting with the people around him, that much.

Old Sun waits for everything to sink in, then starts again. “As a favour to you I will let you choose what position you and your unit will be in once we engage large scale battle, which you and the recent events has convinced me, is inevitable.” Slyfer nods, his brow lowered, with a serious air around him. “What are my choices?”

Old Sun gives Slyfer a measuring look. “The first and most of the time, the most dangerous, is the vanguard, they get deployed first in battle. You could say they are the spear of the army meant to break the enemies’ lines head on. That is not all. The vanguard, also have other duties, for instance jade is part of the Vanguard and is drafted as a scout to look for enemies in front of us. They also have the job of finding food, water and other such necessities. They are mostly made up off cavalry and may sometimes be deployed to the side in order to outflank the enemy.”

“Second is the main. They follow up on the vanguard to rush through and crush the lines that have been scattered, scout parties are also drafted from them but they scout to the sides of the army ensuring we don’t get blindsided. The main is the biggest group in the army and needs to be disciplined and looked after the most. They also have a few artisans and scholars drafted to create war machines, if the need arises.”

“Third, is the rear guard. This group is the most mobile unit in the army. Besides having to vover our rear, they have to be ready to cover our retreat, or defending strategic points on the battlefield. The rear guard is also used for spoiling attacks; this means they pre-emptively attack before the enemy can reorganize its troops. After they have retreated or anything of the like.”

“Lastly, is the special operations group, don’t be impressed by the name. We have not had a good one in a hundred years. So we have started dumping all the problem warriors into it. Their main task is, to disrupt supply lines, ambush enemies that have tactical value to their armies, like officers, officials, etc. At least that was until it fell to the state it is now in.”

“I will give you time to thi-“ Before Old Sun can even finish speaking Slyfer speaks up. “I wish to join the special operations unit.” Aldowin, face-palms again. Old Sun looks at Slyfer as if he is stupid. “Did you not hear what I just said, are you daft boy. Did you earn the respect of the clans only to throw it away again?!” Slyfer shakes his head already smiling with the urge to go out and cause some carnage.

“I did mean, or want to impress anyone, I did what I did because I had to and now I want to do this.” Old Sun sighs and shakes his head. “It’s dark now but before you decide I will take you there tomorrow, so that you can see the state of it yourself.” Slyfer accepts without complaint. “I also have another request.” Old Sun looks at him curiously. “What is it?”

Slyfer points at his depressed master. “I want master Aldowin to take my rank for now, I am inexperienced and he will know better how to control a unit. I have only ever fought alone and will put my allies in danger.” Aldowin, guffaws and nearly falls over with shock. He grabs Slyfers shoulders, intending to scream some sense into him. “Master, this way you can keep an eye on me and teach me tactics like you always said you would.” Slyfer smiles innocently. Aldowin still wants to object, but Slyfer cuts him off again.

“Did you forget what HE said, I distinctly remember something about a toothpick being mentioned.” “I still owe you for abandoning me with the wagon, revenge is sweet!” Aldowin goes pale and he stands up, straitening his clothes. “Fine, I will do it!” Old Sun looks troubled by the two, but after a while just shrugs. Inside he is laughing. “Hah! Who ever heard of a mighty high elf, in the dark elf army?! The king and I will toast, to this for days.”

Old Sun looks at them trying to be serious but failing miserably. “Then its set, I will arrange for uniforms to be made. Oh one more thing. What will you call your group of warriors? The dragons scream at Slyfer. “Make it, the mighty dragons! No, wings and claws of death! What a stupid name, name it Galdan’s wolves. Are you stupid that’s your name, nobody even remembers you!” Slyfer rolles his eyes at them. He looks at Aldowin but the dejected elf is barely sane mumbling about, his house falling into hell and how he has no soul left. Slyfer gets an idea. “We will be called, the Blood Pack.”

Jade rolls her eyes. “Men, and their ridiculous naming sense.” Slyfer snorts. “Says lady, Green Hawk.” She hits him on the arm and both smile. The dragons complain without end forcing Slyfer to close his mind. They all depart and start heading in their separate ways.

Old Sun reaches the King’s tent, to report and can hear his loud screaming. “The King is still at it huh? Well if it was Jade…” Old Sun gets the hibby bejibies, just thinking about it. He smiles, so happy it wasn’t her. As he gets closer he sees other elves that had stopped to listen in rapt attention, but as soon as they see him they scurry off. The old man stops in front of the tent and greets the guard. The guard bows, and makes way. As soon as Old Sun enters the voice’s sound is multiplied by a hundred.

The King is stomping up and down, fists clenched and shoulders hunched, basically growling as he speaks. Old Sun stops to listen, to what he has to say, just in case he may need it for future reference. “Fira, you are a Princess and he, he is… I don’t even know what he is!” The poor girl is sitting on a small chair in the middle of the room her tail hanging limply while she looks at her hands on her lap.

She learned long ago, when the King starts to rant, it doesn’t matter what you say. Just look sad because he is angry and pretend to reflect on your actions. “What brought this on, did he bewitch you, did he do something to you?” This statement, makes her angry. “He did not do anything, I was in his tent remember, I went to him! It’s my fault, even more than his, don’t ever degrade him in front of me!”

“You dare, talk back to me?” The king throws a table over sending pages of documents, scattering everywhere. “I will, he saved your life and mine. Not only that he is no longer just a nothing, but a son to the Sun clan which makes him a Prince in his own right! Not only that, he is a dra-“ She stops herself before she can let it out. He never told her to keep it a secret, but he never said she could tell anyone. Judging by the way he avoided their questions, she would rather go with keeping the secret.

The King cocks his head as if listening to something, but hearing that she won’t continue, he starts again. “Like I said you are a Princess and you don’t even know what race he is?” She shrugs. “We don’t know what race I am!” She picks up her tail and wags it around in front of the King to prove her point.

He huffs and opens his mouth, but can’t think of a good reason to refute it. Old Sun smiles as he thinks. “One does not simply win an argument with a woman.” Old Sun taps his escort’s shoulder who is also smiling, he can’t wait to tell his buddies in camp, when he gets relieved from the shift. He clears his throat and announces Old Sun’s arrival. The King looks at her while pointing his finger. “We will talk about this later.”

Old Sun moves closer. The King still in a foul mood can’t trust himself to talk, so he simply waves his hand. “Slyfer, has decided to join the….special operations corps.” The last part Old Sun says, through his teeth as quickly and silently as possible. The King cocks his head. “Sorry, say that again.” Old Sun shuffles around a bit, swearing Slyfer in his mind. “I said…. Slyfer decided to join the special operations corps.” He says the last part fast again and cringes. The King’s face must have changed a hundred times in succession, from angry to happy all in one go….. “WHAT! Did you explain the state of them, did you say they are nothing but a bunch of layabouts and useless things?” Old Sun can only get a nod out before the King starts again.

“I was thinking of allowing my daughter and him to be… something, If he was able to prove his merits, but now!” Old Sun frowns, starting to get little angry. “I think he already proved himself many times over, in the previous battles!” In his mind the old man also thinks. “He even beat your precious little boy to a pulp!” He doesn’t say it though, since that would be an utterly low blow.

The King sighs and he feels a little guilty until he remembers, the picture of Fira sitting over his lap, his hand up her dress and every other possible feeling except for anger fills him to the bone. He walk up and down muttering like a crazy person. Fira takes the opportunity to talk to Old Sun. “Did Slyfer join the army?”

Old Sun is quiet for a second thinking before he answers. “What is that female mind of yours thinking?” He decides she would find out eventually anyway so… “Yes Slyfer has joined the army, as a new recruit and will be part of the special operations corps.” The King freezes and his stomping comes to a stop. “New recruit?” Old Sun nods again. “He feels, he is inexperienced in team combat and will not be able to fight with them as a team yet so he asked me, to let Aldowin temporarily take control of the group, until he has enough confidence.”

The King grunts. “Not a bad Idea it- wait, did you just say Aldowin?” Old Sun smiles. “Yes.” “Haha you’re not lying right?”

Old Sun, shakes his head. “No.” Fira looks at the two of them in turn; they look like two boys that got a new awesome toy and they don’t know how to play with it.

They both start laughing hysterically. Fira also smiles, the significance of this, is not lost on her. Thousands of years ago the High elves and dark elves waged war incessantly. No, one knew why anymore they just thought, killed and destroyed each other. Then, the white dragon came and stopped it. She does not know exactly how, but he did. However the years and years of war made the two races make a promise to each other. “If ever, one of their races were to join the other, the leader would have to lick the other’s boots.

There are of course exemptions from this rule, and Fira knows Aldowin falls under one of these, but she does not want to spoil the wonderful mood. No, no she wants to manipulate it!

She walks over and hugs him, surprising the King. “Daddy I am so sorry, you know I am a young woman and, and the moment just got the best of me.Do you remember long ago, you said I have to learn how to command and gain respect?”

The King nods wary of a trap. She lets go and pouts cutely. “Well, I have been thinking about this for a long time, but I never knew how to ask you, and you are always so very busy being a great and wonderful King!” Old Sun looks at the King who is smiling like an idiot, because of her praise. He shakes his head and thinks. “He has already lost the battle.”

Fira looks at her feet giving of a nervous atmosphere. “What a great actress, if only Jade could learn some of these skills!” Old Sun thinks this and looks at the Kings worried gaze. “No, I’d rather have her stay, the way she is!” The King steps forward gently rubbing her slender shoulders. “What is it? Tell me, I will do anything in my power to get you what you want!”

Fira looks up, pouting, eyes big and shiny with cuteness. “Anything.... you promise?” The King stands up and puffs out his chest. “If I cant give my baby what she wants, I cant be called her father, the king!” Old Sun shakes his head. “Idiot”

Fira smiles innocently. “Daddy, I want to join the army!”

Chapter 26

hope I did not bore you guys too much with my ramblings on military tactics. I did a lot of research and summarized it a bit.

I feel like I have to explain THE NOD. Some may understand it and some may not. I have self studied a bit of body language and i read a part written by a lesbian who posed as a man. She said men dont utter their feelings like woman do since most are brought up where talking about your feelings openly is not manly. Somehow they develop a kind of body language that carries over these feeling.

For example. have you ever had something bad happen to you or maybe someone close passed away but instead of crying and hugging like most women do. Your friends just maybe took you out for a beer. Where basically no one says anything but still you felt a sense of comfort from it? i have personally experienced this and I believe some of you may have also.

THE NOD is another form of this kind of non verbal speech. Its what we men give someone we approve of, or think. "Hey, this guy is pretty cool." so instead of just saying that, we give THE NOD.

Hope that explains things a little.

Dont worry there is loads of action coming soon.

Hope you enjoy the chappie! Remember to vote, or give me a review on points you think I can improve on. Your opinions mean a lot!